6/15

Have been out now for 6 weeks. In that time I have been to 6 meetings and made two telephone calls to Alaskan AA contacts I got from Terri W before I left. Not bad considering where we have been. I have been exceptionally determined to do my daily reading and I have begun, slowly to establish a new way to find mys AA fellowship.

I have been less successful at keeping this AA Afloat blog active but between the "real" Island Bound blog, emails to friends and family and necessary communications tying up loose ends from the departure I will not beat myself up over that. Instead I will continue to work towards creating a new reality of recovery from afar.

The highlight of the newly establishing fellowship had been old fashion snail mail letters to my dear friend Barbara as well as numerous emails to her and to my sponsor and a handful of other AA friends from Tuesday Ladies Study Group. It is like Christmas to me when we arrive somewhere and manage to borrow some local WiFi. I get to open up my email to find notes from many of you.

I wasn't sure how this would play out but I am finding the email a real lifeline for me. I get to return to the principals of the program and apply them to this new life. Imagine that! Plus when someone writes about their own trials and tribulations back home I get to step out of my tiny little life and reposition my thoughts. God, please do write about your problems and triumphs! Otherwise I find myself just taking about me, me, me.

If I had to choose a step that has been foremost in my daily life it would definitely still be 2.) Came to believe......closely followed by 3,) turning my will and my life over. On a 44 ft boat with nothing but the weather, the miles, food and my husband to give form to my life talking to God has been really important. I have no option other than turning my life over because I have little to no actual influence over the path my day runs to.

Have a plan on where you are going today? Gale force winds will redirect you. Intent on getting from here to there and "experiencing" Alaska? Try moving though a wilderness of trees, mountains and sea at about the pace you can walk around Green Lake. Want to eat well and fill yourself with fresh fruits and vegetables? Pelican has no store, Elfin Cove had a tiny store with two heads of leaf lettuce, three of ice berg, a basket full of brown bananas and some apples next to cookies, candy, ice cream, rolls, brownie mix, wine, beer, jerky, fishing tackle and $3o t-shirts.

Want to get some exercise (good for the body, great for Bi-polar disorder and good for the endorphins?) Spend ten hours moving your home 60 miles then when you get there get the dinghy off the davits and loaded into the water, climb in and motor ashore. Climb out being careful not ot tear the dingy on the rock, muscles and barnacles. Step into icy cold water that dampens the bottom of your pants and pours into your short rubber boots. Then look around at the woods. No trails, woods so thick you can't walk through them, Oh, and don't forget to make lots of noise as you do move along the beach to alert the GRIZZLY bears to your presence so hopefully they will leave instead of deciding that you would make a good lunch.

All this plus: 1) I am sober, 2.) I don't have to work for a living, 3.) I am allowed to travel the world at will to experience new things and make new friends and 4.) have the chance to create a new depth and dimension of friendship and connection with women form my old home group, while 5.) being open to experiencing a world of other AA's and experience recovery through their lives.

Wow, am I grateful. Thanks for listening and feel free (please, please, please) to email and or write letters {Kat Russell, c/o Mary A Davies, 3925 S 326th Pl, Federal Way Wa 98001.}

Yours in long distance service, Kat.